Fault isn’t with breed but how they’re raised

Published: Friday, February 1, 2013 at 08:26 PM.

Also, did you know that for decades now in England, pure-bred pit bulls have been used for nanny dogs taking care of people’s children?

Please consider what I’ve said here and do your own research. It is not the breed, it is the owners — and they need to be held responsible.

I would like to add one more thing that makes no sense to me. There are 19 cities that ban pit bulls but allow people to own tigers, lions, chimps, venomous reptiles, etc. Some need permits; some don’t. There are also four states that ban pit bulls but allow the above.

I would like to talk about the most misunderstood dog breed in the country.

I raised four children and always had two or three dogs. Registered German shepherds were my favorite breed. I also owned mixed-breed shepherds.

My children grew up with these dogs, and we never once had anyone harmed. It was good for them to have the responsibility of caring for them.

After the children had grown up, my youngest son brought home an 80-pound pit bull. As I got to know his dog, I realized all my prejudices against the breed were misguided. He was the sweetest dog ever. It’s like my son told me — if you raise any breed with love and discipline, you will have a good dog.

When my shepherd passed away, I decided to rescue a dog. It was a mixed breed with no pit bull in it. I had that dog for three years and loved her dearly. As she grew, she got aggressive against children. I hired a trainer and did all I could, but the problem only became worse. She was 110 pounds.

I did what a responsible owner would. Although it broke my heart, I knew she was going to some day bite a child, so I had her euthanized. Dangerous dogs cannot be allowed to live if they cannot be rehabilitated — people are more important.

Having said that, you cannot blame the breed!

The whole problem with pit bulls is the owners. Many get the breed because they want a powerful, mean dog, and they train them to be that way. Any dog treated badly will become aggressive.

I now own two pit bulls — one is 6 years old and the other will be 3 on Easter. They love every man, woman and child who walks in my door. They are very good with any other dog that comes to play. My sister came to visit for a week with her 3-year-old grandchild. These dogs have never been around a toddler before. He was able to take bones out of their mouths and go to their dog dishes when they were eating, picking up handfuls of dog food and feeding it to them. When he would lie down on the floor, they would lie down next to him.

Ms. Jade of The DogPress Legislative Reporter has some interesting facts that are worthy of consideration. She states, “Most of the studies I have found give a list of resources, but no footnotes as to where the statistics came from and many are outdated. My personal experience has shown that only about half of the dog bites reported to be from pit bulls actually are, as there are many mixed breed dogs that are called pit bulls…. In recent years, Rottweilers were the most commonly reported breed to be involved in fatal attacks, followed by pit bull-type breeds.”

She then states, “What were the criteria to determine ‘type’ when even ‘pit bull’ is a slang term that may include several breeds?”

A study by Pickney and Kennedy lists German shepherds as the number one killer followed by husky-type dogs and finally Saint Bernard’s. They stated that, indeed, more than 30 breeds have been responsible for fatal attacks on humans, including dachshunds, Yorkshire terriers and Labrador retrievers.

You may say these small dogs don’t have the power of a pit bull; but as the report states, they too can kill. When my son was 4, he was playing with my mother’s small dog for about a half-hour when the dog, unprovoked, bit him right next to his eye. My daughter delivered pizzas on base and received a serious bite from a border collie.

Also, did you know that for decades now in England, pure-bred pit bulls have been used for nanny dogs taking care of people’s children?

Please consider what I’ve said here and do your own research. It is not the breed, it is the owners — and they need to be held responsible.

I would like to add one more thing that makes no sense to me. There are 19 cities that ban pit bulls but allow people to own tigers, lions, chimps, venomous reptiles, etc. Some need permits; some don’t. There are also four states that ban pit bulls but allow the above.